How late is "too late" to send a thank you card for a birthday gift?

Hello paulidogs-ga,

According to Inviting Smiles's Website...

Late is better than never.

" Now is the time to send a thank you note according to all respected
thank you card etiquette experts. Send a thank you note immediately to
about one week after the event, but a thank you note sent late is
always better than one never mailed."

http://www.invitingsmiles.com/thank-you-card-etiquette.html

If this answer requires further explanation, please request
clarification before rating it, and I'll be happy to look into this
further.

Nenna-GA
Google Answers Researcher

Google Search:
://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&c2coff=1&safe=off&q=thank+you+card+etiquette&spell=1

I don't think it's ever too late to thank someone. The etiquette maven
Miss Manners was once asked when it is too late to send a thank you
card. Her answer: "When the person who was generous to you is dead,
and you have to live with the knowledge of your ingratitude."

Pink is right from that angle: it is never "too late."  But if you
haven't sent one immediately, that can also be "too late."  People
understand that thanking for wedding gifts can take a while.  Thanking
for other gifts should be ASAP, but if one can later thank with more
appreciation for the item, that can more than compensate for the
delay.  E.g.:  "The book was really a thoughful choice.  When I could
finally read it during our vacation, I recognized how perfectly you
understood that it would be of special interest to me."  OR:  I never
thought I would need or use an icebucket, but last week when we had
guests  - Jim's boss and wife -  we were both just so glad that we had
it to cool the wine, and our guests were duly impressed.  :-) "
Myoarin